Caring Staff Supports Henry

When 16 year old Henry was sent to Highfields he had trouble adjusting. It was his first placement and he was unsure of how the staff would treat him. Eventually he got more comfortable opening up about his past mistakes.

“The staff really tries to help you,” said Henry. “They know what you’ve been through so they understand you.”

The residential counselors have helped him restructure his thinking so he can make better choices in life.

Henry is not only supported by his counselors, but also from his boss in the kitchen, head chef Michelle Briston. He is learning how to be a good employee and work with a supervisor. Michelle takes him on shopping trips to get supplies, teaches him how to prepare meals and how to serve food.

The kitchen is also a safe space for Henry to talk to Michelle about his problems. Michelle offers a listening ear to Henry and helps him stay on the right path so he won’t make the same mistakes from his past.

Henry was abandoned by his father when he was 6 years old and as he grew up he started making the wrong choices. He spent too much time in the streets, trespassing and getting into trouble.

“I was just a regular kid trying to live my life, but I got caught up in the wrong things,” said Henry.

Henry is grateful for the staff at Highfields that is helping him stay on the right path. He hopes that the effort he has put into the program will help him when he returns home.

“I’ve got more potential than just being in the streets,” said Henry. “I can put my hustle towards something legal that’s going to get me somewhere in life.”